Re: Logistics of small sawmill operation

Originally Posted by Verticaltrx

Piston, what motor is that on your mill, looks like a little diesel? Also, what are your recommendations on a grapple that's ideal for sawmill work?

Your correct, the motor is a little 10hp Yanmar diesel. I absolutely love the engine, it has a great amount of torque for it's little size and will run all day on one gallon of gas. I had a hard time finding an hour meter for it though since most of them tie into the spark of the spark plug. I finally had to bite the bullet and spend $90 on one designed to work with the engine.

I chose the open bottom grapple from WR Long because of the "versatility" of it regarding the mill. Some open bottom grapple's don't have the flat tines on the bottom, they sort of "curve" upwards throughout the length of the grapple. That type would work well for things like moving slab piles and logs, but the main reason I wanted to flat bottom was to support lumber and timbers using a nice flat surface. With the curved radiused style, you will get "dents" in your lumber because it's only supporting the wood on the outside corners of the squared off lumber. I use the bottom portion of the grapple as my "holding table" for any lumber that still needs to be edged. I keep it low to the ground on the side of the mill that you walk along, and put all my pieces that need to go back on the mill for edging right onto the grapple.

I used my friends root rake style before buying my grapple, and I didn't like how it didn't have that "flat" bottom to it. It was still 10 times better than not having a grapple, but compared to the one I purchased it's a big difference when using it around the mill. I probably would have bought the root rake style as that's what I originally wanted (I think they look so much cooler ) but after using that grapple I knew it wasn't the best for using around mill. This is also why I didn't go with the open bottom style that has the radiused bottom tines vs. the flat ones. As much as I love my grapple, it can't handle everything...

Re: Logistics of small sawmill operation

Originally Posted by Fastowl

Verticaltrx, what made you settle on this brand of mill? What other options/brands did you consider if I may ask. Also regarding the hour meter, is that an option from the manufactorer or after market?

I honestly chose this mill because it was what I could afford right now. Hud-son used to have a somewhat poor quality image, but I think these newer mills are getting better. I did a lot of research online and everyone with the HFE21 seemed very pleased with it, including some folks who had owned larger big name mills in the past. I also wanted something small and there were two Hud-son dealers nearby. The only other mill I really looked at was the Woodmizer LT10, which obviously is a nicer mill, but it was also $1200 more. I went to the Hud-son dealer and demoed a mill like mine, looked it over carefully and decided it would do what I wanted it to. So far I have been quite pleased with it. The hour meter is just a standard little tach/hour meter combo from Northern Tool, I think it was about $40.

You did a great job on your mill setup, looks very stable and solid enough to handle all the "jostling" around of the logs. You have a beautiful view from your mill as well!

Do you know how to "fold" your blades?

I'll have to check that link out, I have found tons of reading on forestry forum.

Unfortunately the mill can only stay here until I get ready to pour the concrete and finish this building off as my farm shop, which will be this spring. I hope to have milled enough lumber by then to build a nice sized shed for milling at the other farm where all the timber is, then move the whole operation over there.

I have never tried to fold a blade yet, but I did find some good info online, I think it was on the Re-sharp service section of the WM page.

I've also been doing some research on sharpening your own blades. Some folks seem to think it's really easy, and do it with nothing more than an angle grinder or bench grinder, others say it is really difficult without a $1000 machine. My blades are under $20 a pop (they are the small Woodmizer blades), so I might give sharpening one myself a try.

Re: Logistics of small sawmill operation

I honestly chose this mill because it was what I could afford right now. Hud-son used to have a somewhat poor quality image, but I think these newer mills are getting better.

I don't know anything about the Hudson mills of the past, but all their newer mills have given them a good reputation in the present. I read the FF very often and Hudson is always being compared to WM and Timberking, those two sort of set the standard so when they compare, they have to be good quality.

I've never sharpened my own blades, I have 15 or 20 blades and send them out to be sharpened, I think it's about 7 dollars per blade or so. I don't mill enough to make it worth my while, and I consider my time worth more than that. I enjoy sharpening chisels, it's sort of meditative for me, but I wouldn't like sharpening a bandmill blade. That's just me though

Regarding your mill vs. the LT 10, or my LT15, no one would be able to see any difference in a 2x10 milled from my mill vs your mill, that's the beauty of these things, you don't need a pricey mill to produce good boards. You need a pricey mill to produce boards QUICKLY. I'd love hydraulics, but could never justify that kind of cost.

Re: Logistics of small sawmill operation

Originally Posted by Piston

you don't need a pricey mill to produce good boards. You need a pricey mill to produce boards QUICKLY. I'd love hydraulics, but could never justify that kind of cost.

That's certainly true, but also, I might add that a hydraulic mill also produces boards more EASILY, as in with less physical effort on the part of the operator. When I settled on my B-20, I knew I wanted to be working hard for a long time and figured I could add some years to my career by getting a cushier machine. Of course I do custom milling for other clients, so that was a big part of the equation. If I was milling solely for myself I would have bought a manual mill, or no mill at all. The Timberking allows me to compete with other sawyers in the area, clients like knowing that after we get the log to the loaders, all they have to do is pull boards off. Also, I was sold when I saw it had a chair to sit on and setworks to ensure board thickness. Absolutely right, though, boards will be exactly the same. Congrats on the new mill.

Kubota mx4700, New Holland TC-29D

Mostly I grow vegetables. I get to make firewood too, but not as much as I'd like. And if I'm really lucky, I get to make some maple syrup.

Re: Logistics of small sawmill operation

Can't argue with that! I'd kill for a hydraulic mill, and without a doubt, if I were doing any type of milling for others, I would have one.

I had a choice to make. I could either buy a fully hydraulic mill, with setworks, log lifter, log turner, debarker etc. OR....I could buy a manual mill, PLUS a used tractor to handle all my logs, and do a whole lot of other things. I chose the latter but that doesn't mean I didn't "want" a hydraulic mill. Milling is sort of how I got so "addicted" to tractors. I started out just wanting a mill, then when I got one, and got my tractor, I got my tractor to help get logs and clear land and mill the logs on the mill. Not thinking I'd use it for a million other things. Then, I sort of got away from being addicted to milling, and gradually drifted towards really enjoying the tractor a lot more. Since then, I haven't bought anything for my mill, aside from a couple log peavey's, but I've bought a WHOLE LOT for my tractor!

I almost bought a Timberking, in fact, I like them better, especially the 1220 over the LT15, because WM's claim to fame is the cantilevered mill head which the LT15 doesn't even have. It's a "semi cantilevered". This is all marketing anyways. Timberking makes a great product.

And regarding "physical labor" with a manual mill, you nailed that one on the head! I couldn't agree more that it's hard work!

Re: Logistics of small sawmill operation

That's a great thread on forestry forum. Have to agree with someone over there about the picture of your wife, mine looks at me the same way. When I bought mine, I really looked hard at the differences between the B-20 and the 1600. I found both used for within 2000 of the same price. In the end the b-20 came home with me because it had fewer hours, 45 blades included, and i really wanted the setworks and chair. Sometimes I regret not having the cutting throat of the 1600 though. The throat on the b-20 really is the bottleneck for log size, it's only 25" compared with something like 34" on the 1600. It's really only an issue for quartersawing, but I have hit the limit a few times. After talking to the president of Timberking and the head tech support guy for an hour each they really convinced me on the b-20, even though it was about 1200 miles further away than the 1600. This isn't me, but it's the same mill I have. If I had a lot of logs like that, I'd be looking pretty hard at an lt70 or a Timberking 2400.

Kubota mx4700, New Holland TC-29D

Mostly I grow vegetables. I get to make firewood too, but not as much as I'd like. And if I'm really lucky, I get to make some maple syrup.

I use my RC100 skid steer with a root grapple attachment to move my log to my Woodmizer 40 mill. I load the mill with my Bobcat 341 excavator. I stack the lumber off the ground on logs that I have cut flat on two sides. I use 1x2's that are dried to sticker the cut lumber. I cover them with sheets of plywood not a tarp and my coastal Douglas fir gets down to about 16 to 18 moisture content in a month in the Northwest. Move sawdust with a shovel!
Good luck it is fun.
Ultraglide62

Re: Logistics of small sawmill operation

I've found this very handy for getting logs from my woods to my barn. Firewood for now, logs for milling soon. It's an old house trailer with cobbed on fenders, some bunks for PT 4x4s, and decking in the triangle to carry saws, gas, etc. to the woods. I use it on the road occasionally, but mostly in the woods. Could use brakes on some of my downhills, though...
I agree about the grapple to load for clean logs. I winch when I have to but try to get to the felled trees with the grapple. Sometimes wish I had a mill but not enough use for one.
Jim